Albert Rasch Chronicles Interview...

Some of you may have already seen this interview posted a couple of weeks ago on the Albert Rasch Chronicles. However, I thought it might give those who haven't seen it some insight into what Edge Habitat is all about and what we are trying to accomplish. Maybe there's a little chest thumping involved too, LOL, but I'm sure you will understand...

The pictures and graphics did not copy and paste, but the interview came through just fine. The pictures were taken from this blog anyway. I guess I'm just not computer literate enough to show the complete work that Albert did, but you can link to his blog spot and see the original piece if you like...

A Chronicles' Interview with Bo Parham and Edge Habitat

Folks, once again a great hello and good hunting to you! Today we are adding to our splendid interview series “The Outfitters Chronicles.” Though Bo and Edge Habitat aren't in the outfitting business, habitat management is an integral part of game management, and it is only fitting that we interview them as only the Chronicles can.
Our interview today is with Bo Parham of Edge Habitat. Bo and I worked on this over a series of e-mails. I had bumped into Bo's blog some time ago, and like many things, it kind of went on the back burner. Through a series of "Blog Hops," I bumped back into Bo's blog, and started our correspondence again. I've always been interested in reclaiming damaged environments, and wildlife conservation management is right up my alley.

EH: Albert, first, let me say thank you for taking a special interest in what I'm trying to do.

TROC: Bo, it's my pleasure to sit down and talk to you about habitat restoration and design. After twenty years of construction and related activities, I am super pleased to finally meet someone with the knowledge and ability to either design new wild spaces, or restore damaged ones! But before we go into that, please introduce yourself to our readers.

EH: My name is Jerry Boswell Parham. My Mother and the cops call me Jerry, but most everybody nowadays calls me Bo, a nickname my Dad gave me.

TROC: Then Bo it is! I started right off with how pleased I am to discuss habitat improvement and restoration with you. As a student of biology, it's exciting to know that with a little bit of knowledge and some hard work, you can actually reclaim damaged environments, or improve marginal ones.

EH: That's absolutely correct, Albert. And even in incremental steps, you can make a difference in the quality of the habitat around you. So much emphasis today is placed on feeders and food plots for wildlife, and those concepts certainly have their place. But improving habitat is much more than feeding the animals. And it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg for hi-protein feed sprayed from automatic feeders or high priced food plot seeds planted in a man-made clearing in the middle of the woods. It can be done by simply utilizing the existing natural seedbank and the existing edges on the landscape. And it doesn't have to necessarily look unsightly to be effective.
As I see it, the closely manicured landscapes that we see today have eliminated far too much habitat that could be utilized much more appropriately. Man and wildlife can co-exist, but man can't keep destroying the habitat without destroying the wildlife. This sort of thing has become a passion with me. It's more than just being in tune with nature or having a place to hunt. It's not taking from the environment or taking it for granted, and it's giving something back.

TROC: I think that a lot of folks would like to do something, but have absolutely no idea of where to start. How did you "educate" yourself in Wildlife Conservation Contracting?

EH: I studied biology in college, but where I could afford to go had no formal wildlife biology training. It was more of a pre-med curriculum, but I managed to work in my own independent studies, when I could. I almost got a 2nd major in geology, and I studied agriculture independently. So, officially, I'm not a wildlife biologist, but it's where my heart lies.
Quite frankly, I am a synthesizer of other peoples research at this point, but I aspire to help improve or restore habitat in any way I can, whether by writing about it, or offering advice or personal labors. I didn't start Edge Habitat to make money, but to spread the word and to improve wildlife habitat. That is why I welcome any feedback from people who know more than I do.

TROC: Tell me Bo, where are you currently located?

EH: I live in Clarksville, Texas, Red River county, between Texarkana and Paris. It's right on the edge of the blackland prairie and the piney woods. North of the Red River lies the Kiamichi Mountains and the Ouachita National Forest in Oklahoma. To the west of Paris lies the Caddo National Grasslands. It's a diverse environment, filled with excellent habitat in many places and opportunities to improve habitat in many others, not unlike other places I'm sure.

TROC: I'm certain that you've quite a bit of outdoor experience too. How did your outdoorsmanship get its start?

EH: Hunting and fishing have been ingrained in me since childhood when I could walk out my back door and go hunting, all day... Or fish in the neighbor's stock ponds or the creek a couple of miles away. Unfortunately, those times are long gone, and so is that environment in far too many places. Some of the lucky ones can still enjoy that type of experience, but they are few. It is from those roots that my love of nature and the outdoors has grown.

TROC: I've gotten a little hunting in over the years, no where near enough as far as I am concerned. My problem is mostly that of access. I've seen areas that were once readily accessible and well stocked with game, both large and small, become subdivisions almost over night. I see you've done quite a bit of hunting. What are some of your successes?

EH: As for my hunting and fishing successes, they have been adequate. Besides the 140-class WT pictured on the blog, I have a 6X7 bull elk (unscored), a 160-class mule deer, a half a slam so far in turkeys (best being a 23 lb. 11-in. w/ 1.25 spurs)and 3 double digit largemouth bass (best being 10.96) as my personal best trophies. But Albert, as you well know, every encounter in the outdoors, no matter what, makes you live longer...

TROC: You mentioned that you worked in the medical field for quite some time, how did you get from scrubs to overalls?

EH: I did spend the majority of my life in health care, both as a pharmaceutical representative and a radiology technologist. However, in '08 I was injured moving a patient in the hospital. I lived in Spokane, Washington as a young man, and I worked as a packer and a cook for an outfit in the middle fork of the Salmon River country in ID. Then I went to work as a Hunter Safety Coordinator for the Washington Department of Game in Spokane. There I was able to assist habitat specialists and others in their work. I developed a working knowledge of the subject, along with a sincere love and respect for that type of work.
When I became injured and forced into semi-retirement, I sat down and asked myself, "What assets do I have that I can use to make my way and be of service?" and "What would I be most happy doing with the rest of my life?" From that, Edge Habitat was hatched. So, honestly, Edge Habitat is a fledgling enterprise created to try and be of service to both the landowners and the wildlife. It doesn't hurt that it might help an old outdoorsman survive as well!

TROC: What sort of projects have you been involved with?

EH: There have been a few small projects, but nothing special to recall... yet!. Most have been erosion control or bank stabilization projects. I have been trying to get the mayor of our city to hire me to manage the grounds at the local city lake for wildlife; but, there again, there is no money in the coffers. This would be an excellent project, since it's just across the main highway to the east of me; and it's in dire need of some help.
The largest thing that I've done is to advise a friend about how to maintain habitat and prevent erosion post logging on some inherited property of hers. But that was pro bono, and I was happy to do it. It allowed me to put into practice some of the ideas I had been developing, and observe the results over time. Local TX P&W biologists have called me a couple of times about their projects, but nothing has yet to come of that either.
That's why when you emailed me about this I was pretty discouraged. But that doesn't mean that I don't still think it's a good idea that needs to be pushed. It's a tough sell, especially in this economy, but I haven't given up on being able to get something going.

TROC: Bo, I am always curious, tell me, how did you get started blogging?

EH: The blog idea was a suggestion of my sister to help with cheap advertising. But it soon became a way to express /vent some things and gather information too. Frankly, Albert, the blog, as minuscule as it is, is more successful than the business at this point. People will talk to you about your ideas about the land, but they can't spend the money to do anything in this economy. If they do, they do it themselves; and utilize your ideas or what NRCS or TX P&W has suggested to them.
As for suggested projects that people can do on their own, the Edge Habitat blog has got numerous posts to that effect in the archives. Edge feathering, strip disking, regenerating the seedbank, comes to mind. All of these can be done with minimal expense and mostly just some work. I am always open to anyone who might have a question to be discussed; but, mostly, I find I'm talking to myself...

TROC: You know Bo, I used to feel that way also when I first started blogging. But with time, you develop a network of readers and followers. Before long you will be the subject matter expert that folks come to for advise on reclaiming land for wildlife! Now, what would be a dream project for you?

EH: The ideal situation for me would be to land a job with an absentee landowner who has deep pockets and several hundred / thousand acres to manage for wildlife. And I would thoroughly enjoy an opportunity to write about wildlife, habitat, and the outdoors. I think that would be both pleasurable and desirable at my age! But then, there are plenty of younger people out there with more specific degrees in wildlife / habitat / ranch / forestry management to fill such jobs, don't you know. But maybe, just maybe, I can do something by synthesizing information and spreading the word to interested people that will help me find a way. And, like the song says, "Get by with a little help from my friends."

TROC: Bo, I wish you all the best in your endeavours. We need more people in the field that can help us maximize the available habitat, restore damaged habitat, or create habitat out of areas that have been destroyed or altered. We will continue to keep in touch and it is my hope that we can feature some of your writing right here on The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles!

EH: Albert, Thank you!

Once again I would like to thank Bo Parham of Edge Habitat for taking the time to interview and introduce Edge Habitat to us.

If you would like to know more about habitat reclamation and habitat restoration. please see Bo's blog, Edge Habitat.

You can also reach Edge Habitat at:

edgehabitat@windstream.net


Best Regards,

Albert A Rasch

Langford Creek Lake - A lack of habitat management...

Across the state highway from where I live is Langford Creek Lake, a small city lake that has been mismanaged for at least the 7 years that I have lived here... both for people and for wildlife. From the pictures here you can see that the area surrounding the lake is a naturally diverse ecological area that has been stripped of much of it's native vegetation and supplanted with tall fescue over most of the landscape. I have expressed my opinion on tall fescue in earlier posts so I won't go into it here. Suffice it to say it's only functional use here is as erosional control, and there are other choices that would be much better wildlife habitat.

Looking Northwest

The fescue covers most of the acreage on the property aside from a strip of wooded area along the north-eastern side of the lake and a small wooded area in the northwestern corner. This fescue includes two softball fields, a couple of poorly kept soccer fields, an area surrounding an old tennis court, and across and below the dam to the other side of the lake. I'm not sure at this time how many acres there are on the property, but I would say 200 acres+, including the lake. A little more than half of the acreage is lake and the rest is split about equal between woods and grass.

The mayor of the city likes to keep things mowed as best she can with the fiscal problems she faces in today's economy. She says it costs $1500 every time the area is mowed, mainly due to the offset mower required to mow the steep dam.

She obtained a grant last year to have all the brush and trees removed from the above area and the dam (pictured below). Trees along the dam were quite tall and blocked the sun from much of the reed undergrowth, keeping it from growing very thick. There were trails along the dam's water edge where people had been fishing. It was a nice native habitat that provided shade for the fish, animals, and people using the area, but the tall trees blocked the view from the road along the top of the dam... so they had to be cut down. But they were not killed. The stumps were left cut off at ground level.

Looking Southwest

Today the shoots have grown back to about a 10' height. And since the sun shines all day on them now, the reeds are so thick you can't get to the water's edge (see picture). Wouldn't it have been better to have left the trees standing tall to shade the area and provide a natural habitat for the critters and shade for the fishermen... and saved the money wasted on an ill conceived project? Maybe just trimming the trees back so that the views would be preserved, at the same time shading the water's edge and preventing the thick growth of reeds.


Early successional growth the next season.



 As you can see the native vegetation will grow here if it is left alone to do it's thing, providing excellent habitat for wildlife. But it could certainly use some nudging in the right directions to utilize the landscape for the best benefit of wildlife.

And the people could still have their park and ball fields and tennis court... but with an excellent native habitat intertwined with nature trails instead of open fields of periodically mown tall fescue. My idea is to remove the tall fescue and develop, over time, a native habitat conducive to attracting all types of wildlife to the area. I won't go into all the steps here, but I thought about studying the area as I have time and subsequently posting my thoughts.

There was at one time, I'm told, deer and turkey in the area, along with other smaller birds and wildlife. But there is very little, if any, deer or turkey activity in the area at present. There is some waterfowl activity, but there could be much more. The total wildlife population would require considerable study, I'm sure, but the area certainly does not presently approach it's potential...

When I approached the mayor last year about the possibility of Edge Habitat providing the city with habitat management for the area surrounding the lake, I was told simply that there was no money for such things. She did take my card and said that she would talk to others about the issue, but I have never heard a word from it.

However, this week when I took these pictures, I spotted these trees and brush piles where someone had been trimming the brush from around the trees, and piling it (see pictures); removing what might be nesting cover. There was a guy there, who I had met before, who told me there was a mexican that had been cutting and piling the brush. Another one of the good mayor's beautification projects, I surmise. But there is no money for habitat restoration... I wonder if the mexican man is here legally? 

To me, the problem here is the same problem encountered on private land when discussing habitat management for wildlife. People think that it's a nice idea, but there is no money for it. But they want to keep it all neatly mowed so it looks nice, never thinking that they are robbing wildlife of their environment. It's a matter of priorities, don't you know... where the money goes...                                                                                                                                            

Utilizing woods roads for wildlife...

Following the previous post concerning the size of a habitat project, the shape of it isn't necessarily important either. Woods roads may wind throughout a piece of property offering excellent opportunities to improve habitat. And if edge is so important to wildlife, then woods roads offer considerable more edge to be utilized than do food plot fields.
Woods roads may include anything from long driveways (well traveled) to old skid roads to newly opened paths between tracts. Depending on how much traffic the road gets, measures can be taken utilizing different methods and plants to prevent erosion and stay away from such traditional erosion control plants like tall fescue and orchardgrass, which are not beneficial to wildlife.
Habitat improvements may include daylighting the roads to let in more light, feathering the edges to create cover and aid w/ the daylighting, planting food plots along or on road beds, or simply light disking (just before spring green-up) every other year to stimulate early successional growth from the existing seedbank.
Plants need to be shade tolerant plants like white clovers and wheat. The wheat (thickly planted) acts as erosion control as well as serving as excellent brood cover. Wheat also germinates quickly to prevent erosion allowing the clovers and other forbs and grasses to take hold.
It is still best to utilize all the steps needed to develop a quality food plot, i.e. soil testing, mowing, selective herbicides, etc. But if you can provide enough sunlight ( about 4 hrs/day) onto these roadbeds, they can be excellent sources of habitat improvement throughout the property w/o clearing land for food plots and sacrificing valuable timber.

How large the habitat project?

          

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

These are a couple of shots of my field out back showing some of the native grasses and forbs (weeds) that are flourishing.

Recently, it was suggested to me that you could make a difference in habitat w/ as little as 10 acres. IMO, that is true, but it doesn't have to be that large either. In fact, IMO, even back yard projects can make a difference, especially when several people in a neighborhood work together on such things. But anything that you do to improve habitat makes the world a better place.
In fact, the field that I have been talking about here is merely a 3 acre field behind my house. I began the project last year and it will remain a continuing project. But I have already seen an increase in bird life that even my neighbors are noticing too.
This 3 acres is adjacent to a small cattle ranch that has very little, if any, large game other than too many coyotes. But it is connected by corridors of fencerows and creek beds to other habitat that does sustain large wildlife. Hopefully, in time, the larger animals will find a way to my little project and make themselves visible.
I never plan to hunt them here, as I have too many close neighbors on 3 sides. But having a small creek on my western border w/ the ranch acts as an excellent corridor from other areas. Most of the people here have 1-2 acre lots and they keep them pretty well mowed, so there is little other habitat or cover to attract much more than birds near them.
But the closer neighbors have noticed what I'm doing and some have asked about it. When I explain, I'm not too sure they can appreciate the idea; but maybe when some larger animals start showing up, they will change their thinking... But, then again, maybe they will see the results of my labors in other ways too... For now, at least I can enjoy it...

More turkeys this year?

I'm not sure if there are actually more turkeys in N. TX. this year or if I'm just getting better at locating them, but I think it's probably a bit of both. Whatever the case, in my scouting treks this year I have encountered more turkeys, both eastern and rio strains, than any other year in recent memory. And I have to ask myself why is that the case?
I know I've improved on my owl hoots in the pre-dawn because I'm getting gobblers answering me almost every time. But 4-6 at a time from a single owl hoot? And on almost every occasion lately? And out of numerous scouting trips this year since back in January, I can remember only one trip where I didn't see or hear any turkeys... And I suspect there are a lot of jakes out there doing a large part of the gobbling. But I have seen numerous longbeards as well.
But I have to give mother nature most of the credit for the successful turkey encounters this year. As I have mentioned here on other posts, this year has been an unusually wet year in N.TX. since last July. And the habitat is exploding in the areas where I frequently scout for wildlife. And when the habitat flourishes, so does the wildlife. I just wish I could get more landowners to realize that you can manage your land for cattle, timber, or crops... AND wildlife as well, w/ a little common sense and effort.
Of course, all these sightings and encounters won't necessarily compute into the bagging of birds once the season opens. But having had so many quality encounters already this year, I can't honestly say I would have the right to complain if I didn't get a shot this year. But anticipation is high for a successful year turkey hunting.
And I'm already suffering from early morning awakenings. It's an affliction that I have, don't you know... Depression, you say? Not hardly...

Choir practice has begun...

The bobcat mentioned in the comments put this guy up a tree.

As I do every year prior to the opening of turkey season, I went scouting yesterday AM for turkeys. It's an excuse I use to get out and wander the outdoors w/ my camera and turkey calling garb. I enjoy it every year as much, and sometimes more, than the actual turkey hunting; plus it's good exercise, and it gets me in shape for the season.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

I had been out last Thursday AM doing the same thing, but in another area I knew would hold turkeys. That AM I heard a few gobbles at a distance around daylight w/ one answering my owl hoot call, but only once.
Yesterday I was exploring a new area where I had seen a big longbeard come over the road back in January... and maybe a mile from where I had been last week. But the difference in a week was remarkable. Yesterday I had 2-3 gobblers sounding off from before daylight till flydown... and periodically after that until about 9 AM.
The closest roost was only about 200 yds from where I started calling before daylight, and he would answer my owl hoots every time I called. The others were too far off to pinpoint, but they joined together following flydown and moved ahead of me to the east... as I explored the new area in their direction. They would gobble every now and again and let me know where they were.
I didn't break out the turkey calls but once for fear of educating them before the season. But about 9 AM I thought I was close enough to maybe call them in for a picture, so I got hidden and answered one of their gobbles w/ my box call. This time I got answers from 3 gobblers, I think, and not too far away. So I waited a minute or so and hit it again... same thing... gobbles answering back, but further away. I tried one more time... same thing... so I shut up. They obviously were being led away by their hens, IMO.
This time of year I have seen small bunches of hens and jakes and maybe a couple of longbeards hanging together, but about to bust up as soon as the hens get receptive. The longbeards will run the jakes off pretty quick when the hens get receptive. And, having not actually seen these birds, there may not have been any jakes among them; but some of the gobbles that I heard didn't sound mature to me. But they could have been jakes that had already been run off and just following along nearby.
Anyway, I would say the breeding season for turkeys has officially begun in N. Texas. And it made for a glorious AM for this fat, old man. I truly enjoy the encounters as much or more than the bagging of the birds. As long as they will talk to me, I'm happy. But then, choir practice has always been more fun than singing in church... for me, at least...

After awhile this hen came to my call.

Too wet to plow...

Last fall I had to wait until mid-Nov. to spray the tall fescue in my field because of the wetter than normal conditions we had since late July. And even though my tractor had turf tires on it, it left some ruts in the wetter areas. But never did I think that come Feb. I would have an even wetter situation to manage.
Last year at this time I was disking to regenerate the seedbank; and, even though the blackland clay was sticky and hard to work, I was able to beat back the fescue and generate considerable native grasses, including both red and white clover.
However, all winter long the frequent moisture has never let the soil dry out. Being clay, it is vertically impermeable so the moisture is ever so slow to dissipate. In fact, it has been so wet here all winter that it is impossible to walk around out back w/o slipping around or getting stuck in the mud. Consequently, the native grasses have been slow to germinate, and the erosion has been increasing. Plus, I was unable to plow the dead fescue under to utilize it better as fertilizer.
These were unforeseen problems that, by all rights, would never have occurred had we not had such an unusually wet year. But w/ El Nino pushing the storm track more southerly than normal, we have the current situation. And it doesn't appear that the situation will improve any time soon.
On the positive side I am seeing some regeneration of small patches of bunch grasses, in places. But, until the warm weather and sunshine begin to be more consistent, the regrowth will be slow. I can only hope that it will dry out enough w/ the March winds to, at least, allow some light disking and early successional regrowth before any heavy spring rains begin.
So, if the Good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise, maybe I'll be able to salvage something of my plan to replace the tall fescue w/ native grasses. But conditions have been much less than optimal here in this wetter than normal year.
Now watch it turn off hot and dry this summer, and the blackland get hard as a rock and crack wide open. Such is life on the blackland prairie...